Chad "Pimp C" Butler was found dead in his hotel room three days after he performed with Too $hort at the House of Blues in Los Angeles.  He died too young and his music is lost.

We will never forget you Chad.  RIP Man!

Born Chad Butler, the unmistakable, charismatic wordsmith was 33. TMZ reported that L.A. firefighters responded to a 911 call at the Sunset Strip's Mondrian Hotel, where they found the rapper dead in his bed.

Formed some 20 years ago by longtime friends Butler and Bernard "Bun B" Freeman, UGK are largely responsible for the deliberate, loping Houston sound further pioneered by the duo's good friend, the late Robert "DJ Screw" Davis. Pimp C spent from 2002 to 2005 incarcerated in a Texas prison on an aggravated assault charge, leading to the ubiquitous "Free Pimp C" rallying cry throughout the hip-hop industry.

UGK spent much of the '00s away from the studio, but were enjoying a banner 2007 with the release of the stellar, sprawling Underground Kingz LP and its triumphant, Outkast-boosted single "International Player's Anthem".

Video: UGK: International Player's Anthem (ft. Outkast) [from the Underground Kingz LP]

Check out Chad Butler's MySpace Page